When Friendship Tilts
by Raggazzed12
Summary: *Dedicated to the cast and crew of Newsies.* Crutchie and Jack have a great friendship, always have. But what if that friendship starts to have trouble because of a certain Katherine Plumber? Then Crutchie runs away after an argument with Jack. What will become of their friendship, and will Crutchie forgive Jack?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Author's Note: (Okay, so first, I am sorry, so sorry, I messed up on the last update of this story Chapter One, TeamJacob1998: yes, you are right, that was not meant to be, but here is Chapter One, the real one!) Look, here I am with yet another story! This is fun. I might not update this one quite as fast as the others, but anyway, this is yet another Newsies fanfic. I am making this one dedicated, yes, I am dedicating it, to the crew and cast of Newsies on Broadway, for being so amazing all of these few years and for keeping the energy level high and being inspiring to me and others everywhere, you guys are awesome! I am doing chapter one of this today because of that and because it is Newsies' last day on Broadway, which is really sad, as the date is Aug. 24, 2014. So I guess this is sort of also dedicated to Jack's and Crutchie's relationship as friends, and how things might have gone after the strike. But don't worry, they will pull through, even as harsh and mean as this seems. So here is chapter one!

It was early in the morning. I rolled over in my bed, and opened my eyes. Jack had gotten up already, and was standing at the railing. I dragged myself up and grabbed my crutch, and hobbled over to him. He looked at me and smiled.

"How youse doin' dis mornin', Crutchie?" he asked me, ruffling my midnight black hair in a friendly manner.

"Da usual." I replied. He smiled, then looked out and lost it. The smile.

"Ya know, Is don't nose if Is should jus' forget 'bout Santa Fe. It ain't gonna happen." he said slowly.

"Dat ain't the sprit, Jack. Someday youse'll be riding out dere an' bein' happy an' all dat. It'll happen."

It was a week after the strike, and I knew that Jack was still thinking about it. And about Katherine Plumber. She and him were going strong and I knew he wouldn't leave her. But he had always wanted to go to Santa Fe. And I had... I had believed him. I thought he and I could start new lives there. But it wouldn't happen. Not for a long time. Maybe never.

"So will youse." he said, but I shook my head.

"I don't tink so. I ain't gonna leave the City." I replied, feeling downcast.

"Ya don't... Crutchie, youse'll make it. An' I will get ya dere."

"Youse ain't cause youse got Katherine. I'll get me own life, bu' I ain't gonna get ta Santa Fe." I said. He put a hand on my shoulder.

"Look, Katherine ain't da cause of..."

"Is thought jus' as much. Youse are gonna marry her someday, ain't ya?"

"Crutchie..."

"Don't ya worry. Is'll be fine. Jus'... I'm going down early."

"Crutch, Katherine ain't gonna break up our friendship. Don't ya be mad at me 'cause of her." Jack said. I looked at him.

"Is ain't. Is happy for ya, Jack, an' yosue know it. I'm also jus' relieved to be home." I answered, and hobbled to the ladder.

I managed, somehow, to get down and then I could hear the silence from above. Jack was obviously worried. I cared, but tried not to. I knew he was still recovering from the strike, and I myself was as well. So I made my way down in time so that I could get papes and sell as quick as possible.

But throughout the day, I felt that I had hurt Jack too deeply, and began to regret what I had said earlier. As the day came to a close, I made my way back to the lodging house. Jack was already up on the railing. I clambered up and then he got my crutch, but he went back to standing on the railing. He was still made looking. I approached him as he stood, staring off into space, holding onto the rail. I touched his shoulder.

"Jack..." I said.

"What youse want?!" he snapped back. I stepped back slightly. "Eh? What is it? Complainin' 'bout youse leg again?"

Then, he pushed me. I stared at him, terrified and thinking of something else from my past, a man as angry and mean as this one in front of me. What had happened to Jack? This wasn't the Jack that I knew. He was staring back at me, looking shocked all of a sudden. I noticed that his face was bright red and he looked extremely mad and worried.

"I'll go if ya want me to." I said, and stood up slowly, getting ready to go back down again. "Is can sleep down dere if ya want me ta."

"Crutchie...Is, Is don't know what happened dere. Somethin'... I'm sorry, Crutchie. Forgive me." he said, looking sad.

"Dere's nothin' dat ya need me for righ' now."

"Don't say dat, wait, Crutchie!" Jack said, but I was already making my way down the ladder. He didn't want me, he didn't need me.

I sat at the bottom of the ladder, miserable and not smiling. I was always being happy, but now I couldn't be. I couldn't find anything to smile at. Jack was right, I had to stop coming to him and annoying him like that. There was nothing for me here now. I had to leave, or I wouldn't be able to cope with this.

When I made my way out the door, Racetrack and Mush spotted me and came over, looking worried and concerned.

"Crutchie, what's goin' on?" asked Mush.

"Nothin', just nothin'. Don't ask." I replied. "I'm goin' out for a bit dis evenin'."

Race eyed me, but I just nodded at the two of them and then kept walking. I had to get away. They wouldn't understand. At all. I really couldn't find a way to tell anyone what had happened and where I was going. I didn't have a clue about where I was going, either.

Author's Note: Wow, can't believe I did that. Well, just wait and see what happens next. Did any of you people other than me see the Newsies cast do the ice bucket challenge? It was hilarious and awesome, and one thing was that they didn't have their shirts on, which, being a cast of guys who do a musical eight times a week... well, think about it. It was fun to watch, and you should look it up. Honestly, do it! Because I want to hear what you think about it. I think it was adorable, some of them look like they haven't seen sunlight in ages, including, to my surprise, Andy R., because he's from Texas, but, okay, they don't see that much sunlight I guess because they are singing and dancing or in the shade or in buildings, and this is the City we are talking about (NYC, I just refer to it as the City in my family). Just watch it, I implore you. I also implore you to review, review, review!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Author's Note: Here is chapter two! I would like to address those who got confused in a more formal way, and that is, I am very sorry that I got chapter one wrong, and I am apologizing again because of that. I saw Newsies do their " last bow on Broadway" last night and was crying both times I saw it. Did anyone else see that and cry? I can't believe that it's gone. Well, anyway, here is my next chapter to this story that is indeed dedicated to the cast and crew of Newsies. So here it is!

I made my way far away, to the Brooklyn Bridge. I stopped there and rested, not knowing what would happen next. Then, to my horror, the Delancy brothers came out of nowhere. What were they doing here? Had they followed me?

All I knew in the next moment was that I was being pushed down and shoved, and they punched me. I fought back, and managed to hit Morris over the head before Oscar beat me up. I heard my own screams, and wondered what would happen to me now.

Jack's POV:

I was terrified. What had happened to Crutchie? Where had he gone? Race and Mush told me that they had talked to him before he left. He hadn't said anything to them that was helpful, in fact, I don't think he had said anything at all. What would I do? Crutchie, my closest friend, was gone from sight and I doubted that he would make a quick return.

But there was also the fact that he had insulted me, and I wasn't glad about this either. I had told Katherine this morning in an angry voice about how Crutchie shouldn't do that kind of thing and it was mean and stubborn of him to do so. I had been angry all day, not heeding Katherine's warnings about how this could lead to something terrible happening. I remember the way she said it.

"'Don't accuse Crutchie, Jack, there's no way that you can. Don't be mad. This might be painful on the both of you if you remain like this.'" she had said in her most strict but meaningful voice.

"'I ain't just gonna let dis happen, Ace, I ain't.'" I had replied, and ignored her warnings.

And now this had happened. Crutchie was gone, and I was going to have to worry about him even more. I had already been worried about him before because he had been so roughly beaten up by the Delancy brothers and Snyder that I hadn't thought he would be able to move when he got back. But he had refused to stay in bed and so then I had fought with him just to prove myself more wrong.

Then I had pushed him down. I know what his face looked like, and it was of pain, and shock, and disbelief. He had stared at me like this, his brown eyes wide with shock, and then he had gone down and not returned.

Why I had bottled up all my anger, I did not know why. It wasn't fair for me to do so, but I had just been agitated over what Crutchie had done to me. And now this. I wouldn't be able to sleep tonight. Several newsies had gone out to try and find him and came back empty-handed and sad.

I would have to set out the next morning, and unless another leader like Spot could find him, it would be up to me.

Crutchie's POV:

I awoke to find myself, after going unconscious, staring into the face of Spot Conlon. He looked worried and angry.

"Spot?" I asked.

"Oh, well, least youse awake. We didn't tink you'd wake up, aftah wha' dos bastids did ta ya." he said, almost relieved sounding. I wasn't quite as humored or relieved. A dozen other guys were standing around. I was in their lodging house.

"Yeah, shore, I ain't gonna wake up. What happened?" I asked him, almost scared of the answer.

"Well, Oscar an' Morris came along an' beat ya a good bit 'fore I foun' you and we got ya heah."

"Oh." was all I said. "Noone came 'long lookin' for me?"

"Nah. Dey may be, bu' I dunno."

"Okay, well, tanks den, bu' I ain't stayin' heah. What time is it?"

"9:30, an' kid, you ain't leavin' till mornin' 'cause we ain't lettin' ya out in fear of dos two comin' round again."

"Alright, fine." I agreed, and settled myself in for bed.

What I had originally planned to do was not going to work now. I would have to get away from here, but I didn't know how and wasn't sure of what was going on in the first place. Jack was probably worrying his socks off for me right now, and he had no idea where I was. _"Well, let it remain that way until I'm ready."_ I thought. That was a good new plan. But I didn't know where I would run to next.

The next morning, I awoke to find Spot talking to some other guy and I didn't remember where I was until I remembered what had happened the previous day. Spot looked at me and when he saw that I had awoken, he started to talk.

"Dere be nothin' ta keep youse heah, so ya can go when ya feel like gettin' up." he explained and handed me some food. "Dat's breakfast. See ya."

Spot ran off and I was left to eat alone. I would make my way out of Brooklyn as fast as I could and then I would go somewhere. I didn't know where, maybe the Bronx or Staten Island, not Queens, that's for sure, but someplace like that. I had to get away, and out.

Author's Note: So, there's chapter two. I hope you enjoyed it, and please, please, please review!


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Author's Note: Finally, the next chapter. I had school all week and got a little bit lazy about typing, but I am trying to make that up today. So here is chapter three!

Jack's POV:

That morning, I left the lodging house in earnest. Noone had bothered me, and I hadn't bothered them, so I didn't care if they found me missing from my bed or not. All I cared about was Crutchie. What if a gang had gotten him, or something even worse? What if he was lying on the bottom of the Hudson right now and I didn't know it?

All these thoughts rushed through my head as I made my way through the streets. I was practically running. And then I saw Katherine out of the corner of my eye. She looked confused and worried when she saw me and started to come over. I slowed down to a stop.

"Jack, what's going on? Are you okay?" she asked.

"Ace..."

"Just explain slowly to me. Is it about Crutchie?"

"Well...yeah, it is. He-he ran off outta da lodging house last night. I hit him, I pushed him, I mean, an' he ran off. Dere was nothin' ta stop it. I don't know where he is or what coulda happened ta him, but I'm worried, Ace, I'm worried. Dere's no tellin' where he is now. I can't find him anywhere in Manhattan." I explained in one large rush, but she understood.

"Alright, Jack. Cool down. I told you not to be so angry at him."

"I know, but dere was dat an' more. An' I pushed him, Ace, I pushed him, I hurt him. He ain't gonna evah trust me now. I can't do dis. I need to find him." I said, bursting into tears. She looked at me, knowingly and alarmed.

"Jack, I know this is hard on you. But don't worry, we'll find him."

"How can ya be shore of dat?"

"Well, Jack, Crutchie can take care of himself, well, mostly. I think we'll be able to find him if we search hard enough. And that's all that matters right now, finding him. We will and have to. First off, did you have breakfast?" she asked. I shook my head, and next thing I knew she was dragging me to a restaurant where they served breakfast. I knew she wouldn't let me go hungry.

I ate, slowly, wondering where Crutchie would go to in this case. How far would he leave to find shelter elsewhere. I had been angry, too angry. It was stupid of me. I thought then about how he had insulted me. He was stupid for saying that. No, no I couldn't think that. It was my fault. I was going to have to find him.

Crutchie's POV:

I sat on a bench on the sidewalk. Anyone who passed merely saw a newsboy or a beggar, whichever they decided I was in their minds, sitting on a bench. Little did any of them know that I was a runaway, too. It was hard trying to figure out where to go. I was still in Brooklyn, but planned to go to the Bronx and stay there as long as I could. There was little hope of getting a job anywhere else but Manhattan, so I didn't know how long I could last without begging.

Begging. The one word in my life that I don't really like at all. I begged my father to not hurt me when he got drunk when I was younger. I had begged people for money before, after I left home, before I became a newsie. I had never stolen something. I only begged. I would sit there, and look pathetic. I hadn't become a newsie because I didn't think that I would ever fit in with the others. I was a freak. People had called me that on the streets. My father had yelled that and many other crude things at me as I begged for mercy, as he beat me.

So begging was not my first choice or plan of living. But I didn't know how else I could survive. I didn't want to be a cannery worker. I didn't need to live like a beggar, either. But I didn't know what to do.

I moved down the street making my way towards the Bronx. I didn't think that was a great plan, but I couldn't stay in Brooklyn or the Delancy brothers would chew me out. They came here during the day a lot. I had to get away from them. Maybe I could go to a park in the Bronx and live there. I didn't know, I didn't have a clue. I was in pain, it was bad.

But I moved onward towards the Bronx. I could get there, then decide what life would be like after that. I was slow, but not terribly slow, and nobody minded if I pushed through crowds. In fact, I knew that everyone did so. People sometimes smiled at me as I walked, others scowled and younger kids called me names. But I didn't care. I wasn't going to let them through my weak side. I wasn't going to give way.

But that day, around lunchtime, I sat down on a bench in a park, and started to cry. Yes, I cried. Noone was around. I felt lonely and deserted. I wanted Jack more than ever, but I couldn't go back. I didn't feel like it. I couldn't believe that he had done that to me. It wasn't fair. I had left him because he hadn't wanted me at the time. Katherine was his main partner and so was Davey, now. I had gotten caught during the strike. Jack had been unhappy, I knew he had been, but I couldn't believe that Davey had practically taken my place.

Then it came to me. Davey hadn't become his right hand man. I still was, and would be. This made me cry harder. I couldn't believe what was happening. Katherine was a replacement as well, or had cut part of me off. Now I was confused. Was it me or him that was wrong? I didn't know anymore. I was stuck here, and didn't know what to do.

Jack's POV:

I finished eating. Katherine and I then left the restaurant.

"Where would he go?" she asked me.

"I don't know." I replied. I saw, all of a sudden, Oscar and Morris Delancy brothers. They sneered at me, coming closer.

"Hey Jack Kelly!" yelled Oscar.

"Where's your little friend?" asked Morris.

"What are you talking about?" I asked them.

"Ya know, the gimp?" said Oscar.

"What 'bout him?"

"We had a little...encounter, should we say, an' that boy ain't got nothin' left." replied Morris.

"What did you do to Crutchie? What? Tell me!" I yelled, terrified and angry.

"Jus' did a little fixing him up. He deserved it. We followed him ta Brooklyn." said Oscar.

"Get outta heah, out! Leave!" I screamed. They ran off, snickering. I cooled down, but was ready to cry. Katherine put her arm around my shoulder.

"We'll find him. They can't have killed him. He'll be alright. I promise you." she said.

"I, Ace, they hurt him. They are gonna pay. It ain't fair."

"I know. Just, let's find him. He's in Brooklyn, that's all we know. Let's get some help." she said. "And then, we can be ready to get him back."

Author's Note: There is the next chapter. I hope you liked it. This is getting pretty drastic, I think. Alright, so, please, please, please review!


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Author's Note: So, I don't have much going on tonight, and I decided to start updating things. Chapter four is going to be interesting, I think, because I have no idea what is going to happen. Yeah, that's right. I am making this out of scratch. No paper help except for the beginning part. So, yeah, let's see what happens...

Crutchie's POV:

It was around evening. I had found a place to stay. There was no telling what would happen if I stayed here, but it was in a park in Brooklyn, and that's about all I might mention. There were several other people who evidently slept here, mostly kids who were newsies like me, living on the streets without a lodging house to stay in. I thought that it was stupid that not every kid could have a lodging house, but I guess they were doing pretty well on their own at the moment.

I slept there that night. The morning brought the sounds of the city. I thought for one moment that I was in Manhattan with Jack. But then I realized that no indeed, I wasn't in any part of Manhattan, and I most certainly wasn't with Jack. I wished that I was. Why had I run away? What stupid part of me forced me to do that? I had been an idiot. There was not telling me where I had gone wrong. I knew it as well as I knew the way of walking with a crutch. And let me tell you, I know that.

So I just stayed put, where I was. I didn't know if I should go back to Manhattan with Jack, or stay here until he finds me. I could be dead when he finds me. I might move on. The only thing I know is that it's dangerous business being out here and I was going to pay for it. Deeply. Badly. Deeply. I didn't know what to say or what to do. How would I do this? Where was I going?

Jack's POV:

It had been two days. I had searched and searched and searched, but no Crutchie. Every night Katherine dragged me back to the lodging house. Finally, after a week, she was done trying to keep me in. I knew that she couldn't hold me back any longer. I had to go find Crutchie, or it might be too late. What was he eating out there all alone with only so much money in his pocket? I didn't know, but I knew I was going to find him, and soon.

I started out at the Brooklyn Lodging House for Newsboys, where Spot told me only a little on how he had helped Crutchie get away from Oscar and Morris. Spot then told me to find my own crip and stop bugging other people with the same question. I had indeed asked him for a week about Crutchie, but he hadn't given me any information on it.

I went to park after park in Brooklyn, all over the towns. I finally found a park where it looked like Crutchie might have been. When I did find him, after about three hours of searching, he was cold, wet, and muddy. I was next to him in seconds flat.

"Crutchie, Crutchie wake up!" I said, urgently.

"Jack? Is dat you?" he said weakly.

"Yes, it is. Now come on, why are youse heah, what happened?"

"Jack, I didn't mean ta..." he started, then started to cough. It shook his entire body. I knew at once that I had to get help, and fast.

"Jus' hold on, I'll get ya home fast." I said. I picked him up, and then carried him out of there. I was also holding his crutch, which was difficult holding him at the same time.

We made it back to Manhattan as fast as I could. When we reached the lodging house at about 5:00, the others grouped around.

"Jack, wha' happened?"

"What's wrong wid Crutchie?"

"Jus' let me through, will ya?" I shouted through the mob at the door. I got Crutchie upstairs to his bed. "Youse are gonna be okay, jus' wait." I told him.

Then I got Katherine's attention. She came over.

"He needs a doctor. Somethin'. Da youse know of anyting ta help him?" I asked her urgently.

"I can take care of him. I'll be right back." she said, and ran out of the door, fast for someone in a dress.

When she came back and came upstairs, I had been talking to Crutchie quietly. He smiled every once in a while.

"Jack, I'm sorry...sorry 'bout dat." he said.

"Nah, it's okay, don't you worry kid. You're gonna make it." I replied. Katherine came up with some kind of medicine and a towel.

Crutchie somehow took the medicine, he'd never liked that type, and then she washed him down on his face and arms and legs. I made him change clothes immediately, Katherine had gone downstairs, and then he sat back down again.

"Jack...Jack I didn't mean none of dat."

"No, it was me fault. I pushed ya. Youse are gonna be fine."

"It's just...just Katherine was..." he started to cough again.

"Don't talk. I ain't gonna hear you cough again. Jus' rest, Crutchie, rest." I told him.

He fell asleep soon after. I sat next to him for a while. Katherine came back up to say goodnight. Noone else came up after her. I spent the night sleeping in bed, nervously thinking about Crutchie. He had a cough something terrible, and he was just so weak.

The next morning I brought him food. I didn't know if he'd take it, I just knew that he had to. And somehow, he did eat a little bit of it.

Crutchie's POV:

I was feverish and tired and sick, and I knew it. So did Jack. He was trying to help me, and I knew that. But I didn't think that I could do anything but sleep. He fed me food and Katherine had even brought medicine, and it had helped, but I just was too weak to do much at all. I had spent an entire week alone without barely any food. I didn't know why I had, but I had stayed there. I had barely moved towards the end of that week.

And now I was back home, safe. I guess I did get better in time. It took a while. I was extremely weak and nervous all of the time. A week later I was still in bed because of that. I didn't do much those two weeks spent in bed.

When I finally got better, there was still the matter of telling Jack that I was sorry that I had insulted him. I did it one night as we gazed over the rooftops of Manhattan.

"I'm sorry Is did dat ta youse." I said.

"I know, it's 'kay. Youse had a reason. I did tings I shouldn't have done at all. When friendship tilts, it's hard to tell which way it will go." he replied, and ruffled my midnight black hair.

"Yeah. Guess the City is our home, we ain't goin' nowhere else." I said, and looked back out over the rooftops. I liked it here. I didn't want to or need to leave. But someday, we would all have to.

Jack knew this, and I knew this. Our friendship might last, but it won't be the same anymore once Jack marries Katherine and leaves the lodging house. And when I leave, when we all leave, leaving the next generation to sell papes. Because they will. We'd all grow in due time. But our friendships will last, forever.

Author's Note: That's all, folks! I hope you liked it. The ending was really pointing towards the cast and crew, and things like that, like how they are going to remain friends always, how the next generation will carry the banner, and things like that. I hope you enjoyed this a lot, because it makes good sense to me. Thank you for reading and please review!


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